Affliction and Affection
by deangirl22
Summary: [updated Aug2015!] Murphy TWOSHOT - a slightly fluffy overview of an outsider who falls under his sway. Features 10K
1. I won't be held responsible

Disclaimer - Dana is my OC. I have no ownership over the magnificent Murph, the precious 10K, or the realm they reside in, known as Z Nation. Tis an ambitious and daring show, that deserves more recognition. So here I am helping.

* * *

Murphy didn't like this new group. They were too calm, and too clean. 10K didn't seem to mind them though. Fortunately their leader Stephen, didn't ask a lot of questions. He was a tall man with broad shoulders, pale skin, short rusty hair, a long brow and hazel eyes that were far apart. Stephen had four comrades traveling with him, but Murphy didn't pay much attention to the rest. Except for her, but only after she approached him.

Her name was Dana, and she was the youngest of the bunch - late twenties, possibly early thirties. She was average height, petite but curvy where it mattered. She wore her long brown hair in a bun fastened to the nape of her neck. Her eyes were a deep blue, a perfect offset to her fair skin. There was a jagged scar along her chin, trailing upward near her mouth. 10K intended to ask her about it, when he knew her better.

Murphy stood apart from the group, his arm angled alongside a filing cabinet. 10K sat a few feet away, enjoying soup straight out of the tin. Dana was smiling, as she drew near, which inspired a frown from Murphy. "Something you want Dainty?" he greeted stiffly, fastening a nickname upon her.

"Yes actually," Dana replied, unfazed. "I'd like to be able to see your bitemarks up close."

"They're real." Murphy said flatly.

Her smile slipped, confusion scribbling itself on Dana's face. "Was that up for debate?" she blurted.

"You tell me." Murphy retorted, straightening from his slumped position. "Doesn't a pretty young thing like you, have something better to do than gawk at me?"

"Of course, I could molest 10K, but I figured - baby steps." Dana responded cheekily.

Having overheard her, 10K began to sputter on his soup. While Dana's head was turned to admire 10K pounding himself on the chest, a smirk tinged on Murphy's lips. He didn't allow her to see it, but he did open up his shirt. Dana's response was untypical - rather than shy away, she crooked her head for a better look. There was no repulsion or fright in her dark eyes, just a gleam of genuine curiosity.

"What were you, before the apocalypse?" Murphy asked.

Dana met his gaze briefly, before reverting her attention to his abdomen. "Does it matter?" she replied.

"Well you're studying my chest like it's some kind of art exhibit, so yeah, I'd say it does."

"Thought you'd be used to that Murph."

"I'm not. Especially not the way you look at it..." Murphy huffed. Her unwavering stare unnerved and aroused him, not that he'd admit to either.

Sensing his aggravation, Dana began buttoning his shirt for him. "I don't know how the others look at you, but I look at you as you are." she stated.

"Which means what? And speak plainly Dainty." Murphy requested shortly.

"You may be the cure bearer, but you're a person first and foremost. I was nothing special before the Zs, still nothing special now, but I am a person nonetheless." Dana responded, flattening the collar of his shirt.

"Individualism is important to you, that it?" Murphy guessed, his tone nonchalant.

"Maybe. Or maybe I just like making men flustered." Dana replied, with a coy smile, and a swift shrug. She giggled, then began to walk away, winking at 10K.

* * *

"Hey Dainty, Stephen wants you to...the hell you doing?" Murphy stammered, staring dumbfounded at Dana hunched over a sketchbook.

"What does it look like?" Dana simpered, her hand flying across the paper.

"You're drawing me..why are you drawing me?" Murphy demanded, though his voice was strained in awe. Dana had talent, there was no denying that.

Sighing, Dana opened her sketchbook flat against her lap, and flipped back a few pages. Murphy saw that she had also drawn 10K, and a few people Murphy didn't recognize. "I draw everyone I meet Murph. It's just become a habit." she explained.

"Sounds like a stupid habit." Murphy said bluntly. "So that's what you were, before the Zs, an artist?"

"A failed artist." Dana agreed, continuing to sketch out the finer details in Murphy's face.

"What's changed?" Murphy baited. "Besides the Zs.."

"Now, for all anyone knows, I could be the only artist alive." Dana said, her voice ripe with pride.

"..You shouldn't draw me."

"As you can see, it's a little late for that."

"No you could stop, you should stop." Murphy responded, earnestly. His eyes became glued to the bitemarks she had drawn with precise form.

"No one's going to see this but me...and whomever finds it, when I die, I guess. So relax, alright?" Dana told him. "Besides, I doubt anyone would recognize the Almighty Z Whisperer Who Cured Us All. They'd probably take one look and think that you were a Z, plain and simple..."

"Gee thanks Dainty..." Murphy scowled, leering ruefully.

"Murph I didn't mean...wait, what did Stephen want?" Dana called, setting her sketchbook aside as Murphy stomped off. "Murphy!"

Murphy didn't respond, didn't even look back. Dana grumbled to herself half-heartedly. 10K made his presence known at last, startling Dana. "So you lied. When you said you were nothing special, you lied." 10K mused, from the corner of the room.

"No one gave a shit about my artistic ability, 10K. Not then, now not ever." Dana said, running her fingertips against her temple.

"I give a shit. You're good." 10K said.

Dana smirked slightly. "Thanks 10K.."

* * *

Murphy had hoped Dana would never witness what he was capable of, but there came a time when he had no choice.

Separating from the others had been stupid. Equally stupid, was Dana getting her tire iron lodged in the maul of an oversized Z. What was a girl her size doing wielding a heavy weapon like that anyhow? Regardless, Dana had swiftly kicked its head in, but had done so in such a brash fashion that the nasal cavity had collapsed around her weapon.

"Yank harder Dainty!"

"I am trying!"

"More Zs are comin', try harder!" Murphy hollered.

"Shouting in my ear isn't helping goddamn it!" Dana snapped, finally prying the tire iron free. She was winded, unable to run, unable to fight. And the Zs were only getting closer.

Murphy swiftly grabbed Dana, the tire iron spinning out of her grasp. It clanged around in an awkward half-circle, before shuddering onto the tiled floor. Murphy pushed Dana against the wall, and pressed himself against her, effectively shielding her from the scrambling Zs.

A total of eight Zs ran past. The ninth one, lingered, gazing intently at Murphy. Dana began to quiver against him, as minutes ticked by. Murphy stared down the stubborn Z, willing it to run off after the others. The Z complied.

Grimacing, Murphy glanced down at Dana. Her blue eyes were still wide in fear, her mouth slightly ajar. Murphy eased off her, thinking begrudgingly to himself, that she now viewed him the same as anyone else. It had been nice while it lasted.

"You..saved...me..." Dana stammered, her mind reeling.

"You're welcome." Murphy retorted. "We..." The rest of his sentence was cut short by Dana lunging forward to bask him in a kiss.

"Thank you." Dana breathed happily.

Murphy nodded awkwardly, a single thought circulating in his mind - she was his now. Dana took half a step back, then paused. Her eyes glazed over, her hand reaching for the base of her neck. Her fingers unhooked the bobby pins, unbraided the tie, and unleashed her hair. "Better..." Murphy mumbled, watching hungrily as Dana glided her fingers through her scalp. Murphy's eyes darted to the tire iron. Dana stepped toward it, and bent down ever so slowly, to retrieve it.

* * *

Stephen generally, was laid back. Not as much as Doc had been naturally, but still perhaps too laid back for a post apocalypse survivor. Then he invited Murphy into his flock.

"...That's it, I want you," Stephen paused to shove 10K. "and your decaying friend outta here Punkie Brewster!" he declared, thumbing over his shoulder for emphasis.

Dana gingerly urged 10K aside, and stationed herself between him and Stephen. "You touch him again and I swear I will feed you to the Zs on a silver platter." she warned, pointing a finger in Stephen's face.

"Can you hear yourself Dana?" Stephen retorted. "What has that damn zombie done to ya?"

"Murphy is no Z and you goddamn know it." Dana hissed between clenched teeth.

"I'm sorry could you repeat that? I was distracted by that enormous bite on your neck!" Stephen rebutted angrily, gesturing unnecessarily.

From his perch against the wall, Murphy felt himself smirk. The mere mention of the bite flooded Murphy's mind with euphoria. Murphy had bitten Dana in the troughs of sexual release. It had been perfect, she had been perfect, and a rare possessiveness had consumed Murph.

Stephen would never understand, how could he with jealousy blinding him?

"I did it to protect her Steve. She won't become a Z now." Murphy announced, stepping into the heated debate.

"Oh is that what you told her?" Stephen growled.

"Enough Stephen." Dana said. "Murph and 10K aren't leaving."

"I'm the leader, in case you've forgotten, and I say they're gone." Stephen argued.

Dana's eyes combed over the stoney faces of her comrades. Correction - former comrades. "Then I'm leaving too." Dana told them.

"Fine...Not like we need a cradle-robbing, corpse-fucker walking amongst us anyway." Stephen declared. "Bad for morale."

The look of minor hostility on Dana's face cracked into an ill smile, reminiscent of Murphy's own glower. Her fist connected with Stephen's throat, and the big loaf staggered sideways. Dana cast an empty glance at the group she once belonged to, and then she beckoned 10K close. He was taller than her, just as Murphy was, but Dana looped an arm around 10K's shoulders, and fitted her other palm against Murphy's back. "Tell me 10K, when exactly did I rob your cradle?" Dana asked with serious wonderment.

"Fuck if I know." 10K smirked.

* * *

Thanks for reading! Feel free to leave a review!


	2. She fell in love in the first place

A/N - I'm impatient for the new season to start, so I decided to write a follow-up. The 'chapter titles' are actually linked verses from a song I heard recently that reminded me of all the love-relucant fictional men I seem to gravitate toward - Murphy came to mind.

**This update features jealous!Murphy, swearing and mentions sexual themes,_ you've been warned! _**

* * *

Murphy could recall at least two gun-enthusiasts from his prison stint, who would've gladly sold their wife and children for the monstrosity Leonard had created. Leonard, if that was in fact his name, had rigged a sniper rifle with the barrel of a tommy-gun. Unless Murph was mistaken, a similar gun existed, but it was military grade and likely hard to come by in the middle of a city. This contraption of a weapon was crude-looking, but judging from the way 10K was continuously pawing it, the gun appeared to be in working order.

10K glanced eagerly from the pioneered gun, to the man who pioneered it. "Shit Leonard.." he murmured in awe, glancing respectfully at the Z swinging from the rafters who wore a sky-blue mechanic shirt with the name 'Leonard' stitched into the breast pocket.

Leonard gargled a response, his rotted jaw clacking open and shut accordingly, as his lifeless eyes stared down at Dana sitting cross-legged in front of him with a sketchbook in her lap. Her head was bent in concentration, loose strands of her hair sprayed across the gaping bitemark at the impasse of her collarbone and her neck. Murphy also lowered his gaze to the brunette female, trying to repress his irritated impatience as he watched her draw Leonard with minimal effort. Murphy could command her to stop of course, he had before, but Murph had done it so often, that 10K had finally noticed and guilted him for it. In fairness, the trio had mostly kept to themselves since separating from Dana's crew, but occasionally a passerby, alive or undead, would catch Dana's attention and inspire her to whip out her sketchbook. Leonard was merely the latest fascination and perhaps the most credible, if he had in fact engineered the gun 10K was fussing over.

"Tommy-Go-Sniping?" Murphy read aloud as Dana scribbled the words above a rough sketch of the gun she had imposed into the corner of her drawing.

"What would you call it?" Dana taunted, flipping her sketchbook shut.

Murphy eyed 10K with a glowering grimace. "I'd call it 10K's New Girlfriend..." he retorted with a smirk.

Already smirking, 10K barely glanced up from his half-open duffelbag. "Well there's sure enough ammo to keep her and me together for a while.."

"And what a perfect match you are - 10K and Tammy..." Dana mused to herself, blindly zipping up her own bag after storing her prized sketchbook inside. She and 10K shared a laugh, while Murphy rolled his eyes and freed Leonard from his noose.

* * *

The first breathes of winter frost had begun to coat the grass, the abandoned cars, the toppled streetlights and even the Zs. In the interest of practicality, the trio had decided a cremation facility on the outskirts of town would be the ideal place to hole up for a while. Inconveniently, a hoard of Zs the length of a football field were baring the way. However, such a large congregation of Zs was both a blessing and a curse - assuming Dana, Murph and 10K were able to reach the facility and become settled safely within, no outsiders would be tempted to steal their idea.

"No-no, you aren't playing Z-Herder this time.." Dana told Murphy flatly. "Where's your holiday spirit Murph? We can't knowingly deny 10K and Tammy such a joyous opportunity for reconciliation.." she tutted, her deep blue eyes alight with cheer. "Although I would be wasting a perfectly good chance to smuggle and snuggle 10K through a mob of Zs...hm maybe on second thought, forget I said anything!" Dana teased, a wicked grin pasted atop her scarred chin. A hooded 10K snickered beside her, his bare hands interlocked, fingers fluxing against one another to maintain warmth.

Resting his weight against the chainlink fence, Murphy scowled a bit while surveying Dana. The grey pea-coat Dana had found, was a size too small, and hugged her womanly form tightly. "Tell me how we're supposed to get to our new safe-house then? You know that gun is loud.." he responded stubbornly.

"Well...we could set up 10K in a sniper perch, on the third floor of that building," Dana pointed to a structure not far from where the trio stood. "While you and I create a diversion over..there..to keep the majority of the Zs focused on us, while 10K racks up his killcount.." Dana deduced pointing openly to one section of the area several yards ahead of the group.

"A diversion?" 10K and Murphy echoed in unison.

Dana nodded with an apt smirk. "Me. I've had plenty of chances to draw, but not one excuse to dance. Don't think I'll ever come across a better one than this.."

Murphy snorted a bit. "You're a dancer too, Dainty?"

"Ballet through high school, then..well..not much after, but...I always wanted...why the hell are you snickering 10?" Dana responded, interrupting herself at the sight of 10K's bobbing shoulders.

"Nothin'..just..never would've pictured you in a tutu.." 10K retorted evenly.

Murphy eyed the kid, without looking fully at him. "How do you usually picture her?" he asked, the undertone of his words jagged with jealousy. The smile slipped from 10K's mouth.

"Awe, that's sweet, you made him blush.." Dana cooed stringently, wrapping her arms around Murphy's waist and resting her head against his shoulder. "I don't plan on dancing ballet, not traditionally anyhow. Couldn't in this weather, even if I had the proper shoes for it. But I'm sure I can manage something, all we need is to get one of these cars working, and find some CDs..."

"Music won't be enough?" 10K wondered.

"It might, might not be, didn't really want to chance it honestly. Murph is right, the reverb of that gun draws a lot of attention.." Dana replied.

Murphy cocked his head downward where Dana was still coiled around his midriff. "So what you're saying is you'd rather play the part of attention-whore..." he spat.

Dana separated herself from Murphy with a minor glower. "It's for a good cause Murph. 10K hasn't been able to do much killing lately, and for all we know Christmas has already passed."

If Murphy weren't so bored, he would've compelled Dana to forget these shenanigans. But he was bored, and the thought of Dana prowling atop an 18-wheeler trailer to the rhythm of music, did sound like fun.

* * *

Clearing the building for 10K's sniper perch was tedious, Dana hated to admit, but thankfully it didn't take much time. 10K bustled down the seemingly empty hallways, whistling a tune, with Dana covering his back. By the time the four-story building was secure, 10K had only accrued a meager 14 kills. Would've been 18, but Dana had to have her kicks too. Afterward, she and 10K began to barricade a manager's room, in what had clearly been an office space once upon a time.

"Not leaving me a lot of space.." 10K noted.

"Think of it, not as me boxing you in, but as me keeping the Zs boxed out.." Dana said, shifting a bulletin-board closer to the wall.

10K retreated from the window. "Dana.."

"Look, I know this is kinda idiotic, and I don't want it backfiring alright?" Dana admitted, resting her weight against the desk while plucking a strand of hair from the crevice of her lips. "I just want you to be safe."

10K nodded a bit, then shook his head. "You don't have to worry so much. It'll be fine." he assured her with a slight smile.

Dana exhaled her anxiety. "Well I can think of one sure-fire-way to ensure that..." Dana mused to herself, retracting her knife from its sheathe.

"What're you...?" 10K trailed off, watching awe-struck as Dana sliced the underside of her forearm.

"Making you invisible best I can.." Dana explained, dabbing her fingertips into the cut then smearing the blood randomly around the surrounding area. "This should deter the Zs from scrambling toward your hidey-hole..."

10K watched her for several seconds, before tearing the lining of his right sleeve off. He gently grabbed her by the elbow, halting her from further blood-smearing and laced the torn fabric around her bleeding arm, tying it tightly. "Go have some fun..Dainty..." he ordered with a wry grin.

Dana tilted her head, placing her hands on her hips. "I'll go when I'm ready.." she told him plainly. A moment of silence instilled, during which Dana observed 10K with her nose turned up and 10K merely stared at her with an eyebrow crooked. Dana pretended to check her watch, then patted 10K on the jaw. "Mercy the night away 10K..." she said in farewell. Dana heard him smirk as she exited, inspiring a smirk of her own. Dana hadn't walked more than eight feet from 10K's enclosure, when she spotted Murphy lurking in a doorway. "Hey, find what we need?" she asked, crossing her arms.

Murphy didn't respond immediately, merely studying her beneath his furrowed brow. "Took your sweet time...Y'done fondling 10K?" he replied.

"Mmm you caught me." Dana murmured, with a teasing grimace. "I secretly prefer gangly to girth.." she whispered, briefly resting her hands on his chest then running them upward to interlock around his neck.

Dana began to lean in for a kiss, but Murphy waylaid her. "Not telling me anything I couldn't already guess Dainty. Pretty young thing like you, never would've looked twice at me if it weren't for the apocalypse.."

"I don't know about that..." Dana purred, hovering her mouth near his while pressing her body against him. "We artists have unusual taste.."

* * *

343 dead Zs later, the trio were safely nestled within the crematory. With Dana in the middle, they sat with their backs to a roaring fire, their feet propped against overturned gurneys, their attention fixated onto a television/vhs combination unit showcasing porn. It was one without a storyline, just pure adultery.

"Everything you hoped it would be, kid?" Murphy asked, resting his cheek against his fist. 10K shrugged mutely in response, his eyes remaining stationary on the screen. "Have you ever even...slept with anyone, before all this?" Murph blurted as an afterthought.

"Why, you offering?" 10K jeered in response, with a look on his face that equally amused and annoyed.

Dana giggled cordially, shifting her weight slightly, the better to see 10K. "I don't think he's a virgin." she declared forthright.

"He never saw porn before Dainty!" Murphy argued.

"Doesn't mean he's a stranger to the act itself...or acts, as the case may be.." Dana countered. "Maybe he was just a wholesome boy once. Before the Zs happened, and he decided to kill ten thousand of 'em..." 10K's mouth flexed into a smile, reverting his focus onto Dana as she gently touched his arm. "But you have seen a Playboy right? Because if not, something really oughta be done about that. I could even draw a pin-up for you...when is your birthday? Roughly, anyway?"

Noticing Dana's eagerness, Murphy felt a belligerent wave of resentment flare within his mind. "Funny, I don't remember you ever making me an offer like that, Dainty..." he stated.

Dana glanced over her shoulder casually. "That's because you have me, you dolt.."

"Or maybe you just wanted to do something naughty for 10K..." Murphy accused.

"I've always been naughty _and_ nice Murph, that's why I never believed in Santa Claus. I knew he wouldn't know what to do with a anomaly like me..." Dana replied shrewdly. Dana's deep blue eyes scrutinized Murphy more closely, though her body remained pivoted in 10K's direction. "C'mon you aren't serious..." she murmured in disbelief.

"I think maybe you should just get him out of your system..." Murphy responded coldly.

"Oh is that what you want?" Dana challenged, with an annoyed tick of her neck. As only an ex-ballerina could, Dana swiveled her legs from their perch against the gurney, and slipped her socked feet into 10K's lap. The motion startled 10K, causing his relaxed shoulders to hunch rigidly in a half-hearted recoil. Dana however, had kept her gaze on Murphy the entire time, gauging his reaction. Murphy's jaw had jutted open in surprise, then seared itself shut in a grueling grimace. "That's what I thought.." Dana hummed knowingly, retracting her feet from 10K's lap, and propelling herself into a standing position. "I'm allowed to flirt with him Murph, if I didn't he'd feel like a third wheel and things would be awkward. But you need to stow the jealousy, here and now..." Dana announced, starting to exit the room.

"I don't take orders from you Dainty..." Murphy replied, his marbled eyes watching Dana's movement. He allowed her to scoff inwardly, and toss her hair like an annoyed mare, then Murphy compelled her to stop walking. Slowly, Dana turned around, and planted herself in Murphy's lap, straddling him with a glazed look. Murphy glanced sideways at 10K. "Get lost kid." he ordered.


End file.
